2-Year J.D. Program

Brooklyn Law School’s 2-year J.D. program is designed for select students seeking a rigorous legal education in an abbreviated timeframe. It has the same credit and curricular requirements as the standard 3-year J.D., so it involves the same amount of the work as our current part-time and full-time programs. To complete the degree requirements, students take courses during the summers before and after their first year; over spring and winter intersessions; and during the traditional fall and spring semesters. Students in this program will be able to take advantage of the full range of activities such as participating in extra and co-curricular activities, including clinics, externships, Moot Court, journals, and student organizations. The unique advantages of this innovative accelerated program are:

The opportunity to enter the workplace faster and earn a paycheck sooner.

The savings of a year’s worth of living expenses.

The same high-quality credit and curricular requirements as the standard 3-year J.D.

Access to Brooklyn Law School's award-winning faculty.

Guaranteed housing for the full 24 months.

The full support of our outstanding career services, with direct access to the Dean of Career and Professional Development.

The flexibility to extend to 2.5 or 3 years, if you wish to do so.

The two-year program is designed to give prospective law students options to build a path to success that fits their lives and goals. Read more in the 2-year J.D. brochure.

Special Application Procedures

Application Deadline
Applications for the 2-year J.D. program will be reviewed as they are completed; it is therefore in your best interest to apply as early as possible.

You should have your CAS Report and all other required documents ready to be requested by our Office of Admissions by April 15, but we will continue to accept these materials after April 15, subject to the availability of seats in the entering class.

Law School Admission Test (LSAT) / Graduate Record Examinations (GRE)
To be considered for the 2-year J.D. program enrollment option, you must take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) no later than the February test date in the year of your anticipated entry or submit a valid GRE score by the application deadline.

Additional Essay
In addition to the Personal Statement required of all J.D. applicants, you must submit a second essay, one to three pages in length, which describes your interest in and motivation for pursuing the 2-year J.D. program. The essay should not repeat what is already in your Personal Statement, nor should it simply reprise your résumé. Drawing on specific examples and situations, you should delineate those aspects of your personal background, academic record, work history, and volunteer experience that reflect your ability to succeed in the rigorous learning environment of this accelerated program.

Interview
Candidates for the 2-Year Accelerated program may be required to take part in an admissions interview. If selected for an interview, the candidate will be so notified by the Office of Admissions. Interviews may be in-person or by videoconference.

Admissions
Please follow the general admissions process and make sure to review important deadlines, procedures, and financial aid information.

A Sample Approach

Below is a sample outline of the schedule of coursework a 2-year J.D. student will pursue to complete the degree. Please note that some changes have been made to the Accelerated JD curriculum for students entering in 2017. Students are eligible for clinics, certificate programs, and international studies.

Incoming Summer: 10 credits (6-7 weeks)

Criminal Law (3 credits)

Legal Profession (3 credits)

Torts (4 credits)

1L Fall Semester: 14-15 credits (13 weeks)

Civil Procedure (5 credits)

Fundamentals of Law Practice I (2 credits)

Property (4 credits)

Upper Class Elective (3-4 credits)*

Intersession: Electives 1-3 credits (2 weeks)

1L Spring Semester: 15-16 credits (13 weeks)

Constitutional Law (5 credits)

Contracts (5 credits)

Fundamentals of Law Practice II (2 credits)

Elective (3-4 credits)**

Middle Summer: 8-11 credits (6-7 weeks)

Regular courses

Clinics / externships

2L Fall Semester: 16 credits (13 weeks)

Intersession: 1-3 credits (2 weeks)

2L Spring Semester: 16 credits (13 weeks)

Total: 85 credits

You will need 85 credits to graduate. Depending on the credit value of your fall 1L and spring 1L electives, you will have completed 39-41 credits. You will need to complete 44-46 additional credits over the remaining two intersessions, summer, fall and spring semesters. You cannot enroll in more than 16 credits in a fall or spring semester and you cannot enroll in more than 11 credits*** in your second summer. Otherwise, you may decide how many credits to take in the winter sessions and summer session to complete the 85 credits.

*Students may choose Family Law (3 credits), Federal Income Taxation (4 credits), or International Law (3 credits), subject to availability

***Students may enroll in a maximum of 11 credits in the second summer by taking a 5-credit externship with the mandatory 1 credit seminar and an additional 5 credits in other courses offered in the summer.

FAQs

What is the 2-year J.D. program?
The 2-year J.D. program enables students to complete the entire course of study for the J.D. degree in 2 years. It has the same requirements as a 3- or 4-year program, but in a 24-month time frame.

Who is eligible to apply?
All candidates applying for admission are eligible.

How much does it cost?
The tuition rate per credit, $1,828 for the 2017-2018 academic year, will be the same for all students, regardless of the program in which they enroll. Students who complete the degree in less time will, of course, have lower total living expenses during their time in law school.

Can I get merit aid?
Yes. Applicants to the 2-year program are eligible for financial aid and merit scholarships to the same extent as applicants to the regular full-time and part-time programs.

Can I opt out if I change my mind?
Yes. Students who initially enroll in the 2-year J.D. program may later decide to complete their degree in 2.5, 3, 3.5, or 4 years instead. The 2-year option simply offers added flexibility.

If I am not accepted to the 2-year program, can I be accepted in another program?
Yes. Applicants may still be considered for the 3- or 4-year program.

Will I be guaranteed housing?
Brooklyn Law School guarantees housing to all incoming students for their first year, and provides housing after the first year as available. Students in the 2-year J.D. program have guaranteed housing for the full 2 years of the program. Housing for incoming students is not guaranteed until the fall semester, but incoming students in the 2-year J.D. program will be given priority for summer sublets in BLS housing.

Will I be able to earn one of the certificates offered through the Law School?
Yes.

Will I be eligible for in-house clinic internships and/or externships during the fall and spring semesters in the second year?
Yes.

Will I be able to compete for journals?
Yes.

Will I be able to compete for Moot Court Honor Society membership?
Yes.

How will the 2-year J.D. students be ranked?
Students are ranked at the end of the first spring semester with the other members of their incoming class and subsequently after each fall and spring semester with other members of their graduating class.

How will the 2-year J.D. affect students in other programs?The availability of extra courses in the summer and intersessions will give all our students’ greater choices of when and what to take, and more flexibility in the pace that they complete their legal studies.